Dancing On His Flames
by Mourning Fox
Summary: One day while on the neverending hunt for Aang, Zuko finds himself with a mute slave girl. Their lives intertwine as the journey goes on. Can she heal the scars of his past? And what is the truth of how she became a mute?
1. Default Chapter

**_Dancing On His Flames_**

_Chapter One_

Her body moved like ripples in water. She moved with grace and her dance was filled with sadness, grief, and loneliness. Water spun around her as she beckoned to it, making it follow her every movement, like a shadow. Her long light blue skirt that faded to a darker green danced with her, giving to illusion of morphing colors. The black locks of bangs beside her ears swung slowly as her movements hypnotized her audience. She spun, moving her arms and bending her left leg as she arched her back, twirling once again.

There was just something about her that made the people in audience watch intently. Wanting to know how her dance would end. But she knew, that her dance would stay unchanging and always be filled with the same grief held in the tears she shed long ago.

Finally her legs gave out. After her last spin she dropped to her knees and bowed her head. Murmurs of guests and other rich aristocrats could be heard. Her master nodded in approval and she was bound in her chains of bondage again before she even made another breath.

They dragged her into a dark room and left her there till the master had the intention of seeing her dance once again. The doors that held the light of hope, closed unmercifully as she hugged her knees to her legs. Wanting to sing something to reassure herself of fear, she opened her mouth, but all that came out was a silent breath, a breath that would never make any sound at all.

(:O)

The doors opened once again. Light barged into the windowless room; the girl opened her brown eyes, her expression undaunted. The guard looked at the and then they tugged her chains roughly.

"Get up, the Lord Yen wants to see you again," the guard stated gruffly as he yanked at her chains, making the girl stumble forward.

The moved down the dark hallways, bowls of flowers glowed warmly, beckoning for a glance at its natural beauty and statues with emerald lining decorated it. It was almost impossible to not recognize that this building was located inside an earth nation village.

The guards opened a large door and shoved the girl into the room. The girl slid on her knees, she winced and forced herself up. Her chocolate eyes were emotionless and calm as she stood, waiting to serve whatever purpose her master called her forward for.

"Play for me," her master commanded.

He chucked a flute at her feet. It was wooden flute, carved with the most elegant and meticulously drawn designs. He grinned waiting for his slave to pick up the flute and play for him.

The girl simply stared at it, and made no action to play it. Her eyes grew cold and barren as she continued to stare at the woodwind.

"Are you deaf? Play it," the master proclaimed once again, his impatience already tired of the girl.

She made no move to show that she heard him. He took this as an insult and glowered angrily.

"Bring me the whip," he sneered.

The servant on his left brought out the long whip and the guards came beside the girl and pushed her to the ground as they held her down.

The master over loomed in a shadow that cascaded over the girl's petite form. He raised the weapon and brought it down onto her back, tearing the silky fabric. Her back jolted in reaction of the force of the whip. She struggled to free herself, gritting her teeth. The guards put her back down as the whip flew down again and again and again.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as the sting on her back continued to burn with every lash he threatened upon her. Blood flowed freely from the wounds and he stopped, satisfied with his work. He made a flick of his wrists and the guards moved back to their post near the door.

He kneeled down beside her and grasped her chin, making her stare at his old, wrinkled, white face.

"You should have listened to me," he breathed into her ear.

She tried her best not to shudder in fear, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of his dominance.

He licked the side of her face, trying to provoke her into a reaction.

"I can do more then that, but we'll wait for that later," he whispered lustfully into her ear.

Standing up he walked towards the door on the other side of the room. Next to the door, a single line of five beautiful women in slinky, silk robes was standing. As he made his way he stated loudly, "I expect you to dance for me tomorrow."

He left the room into his chambers and the girls in their silk robes followed after him and the door was closed.

The guard came to fetch her, looking at her back disapprovingly, and apathetic about her pain.

"Get up, no time to waste here girl," he said and kicked her in the ribs while heaving her chains.

She struggled to stand. She eyed the flute and picked it up, then limped after him only to be thrown into the dark chamber once again.

She lay on the ground, her back still bleeding. Tears continued to stream from her eyes.

_If only there was more then this… But something tells me…_

Images flashed before her. The palace was burned down into rubble. A boy with a distorted scar on the right side of his face stood over the heap of destruction. Fire blazed as the flag of the fire nation blew wildly in the wind.

_Maybe some day retribution such as that will come… Someday…_

Her eyes closed as she drifted off into sleep.

(:O)

"You mean you've seen the Avatar near the earth country on that island in the south over there?" Prince Zuko asked, his voice dangerous and full of threat.

"Y-y-yes sir…" the peasant stuttered, his arms over his head trying to protect him from whatever blow might come.

Zuko let go of the scruff of the peasant's collar and let him drop to the ground.

"To the island in the south!" he shouted, the crew listened as all boarded and prepared to move.

(:O)

"Oy, woman, get up and change into this, Lord Yen will be expecting your performance in a matter of time," the guard said and threw another skirt and top into the room.

The wardrobe the guard threw in much resembled what she had already been wearing; with the exception that the skirt was white and faded into a light yellow with long slits on both sides of the thighs and her top was yellow with Chinese buttoning.

She changed quickly and fixed the disarray of her hair into a bun with her chopsticks. She cringed at the pain in her back that she had bandaged with the skirt she had been wearing the night before. Rubbing her feet, which had only a thin cloth of dancing shoes, and bandages to cover her blistered feet.

Suddenly she felt a wave of fatigue. The dark comforted her and eased her heavy eyelids to close. Once again did the darkness claim her.

(:O)

Zuko entered the main chamber doorway, with Iro tailing jovially behind him. Zuko's demeanor was dangerously calm, but you could feel the temperature and anger that was easily broken. The guards opened the door and allowed him to enter.

He glowered slightly and inquired, "Where is the Avatar?"

"What do you mean?" Lord Yen replied, his eyes looking foreboding.

"Someone told me they spotted him here," Zuko argued.

"Well they obviously lied, and besides," Lord Yen stopped and snapped, suddenly guards appeared everywhere, surrounding Zuko and Iro, "We don't make any peace with the fire nation."

The guards attacked, Zuko's brow furrowed as he began to fight. Iro smirked as he fought with surprising strength. The door slammed open as fire soldiers infiltrated the palace and began to fight. Zuko defeated the guards that surrounded him and went after Yen.

"Where is the Avatar?" Zuko gritted through his teeth.

"I'll never say," Yen retorted.

Zuko glared and then commanded, "Take this man into the dungeons and raid the castle! Find the avatar and any other people you can find! Bring them here!"

The fire soldiers filed out and began to raid.

(:O)

The girl awoke. Crashes could be heard and cries of people could be heard outside the door.

"Hurry, hurry! All of you, out of the compartment under the rug! Before they come!" a servant yelled as she ushered all the stray people into the secret passage into freedom.

A slam could be heard and another crash bellowed, right out from the door. The door began to creak open and the girl cowered into the corner, bringer her knees closer to her as she closed her eyes and chewed on her lip to keep from doing anything foolish.

"There's a person in there! A girl!" a man cried.

"Take her to the main chamber, Zuko wants to interrogate all the people here!" the other replied.

The first man came in and yanked her by her arm, dragging her out into the main chambers. She stumbled along, trying not to cry from the pain in her back from the lashes.

The moved down the corridor and entered the main chamber; a boy was standing there. His head was all shaven except for a single ponytail, and there was a scar on the right side of his face. The girl gasped, this was the boy from the vision.

"Is she the only one?" he solicited.

"Yes Prince Zuko, all the other servants have escaped and the guards are out or else long gone," the guard replied and threw the girl to the ground.

She winced and resisted the urge to rub her stinging kneecaps. The boy, or Zuko, kneeled down and stared at her. The girl felt timid and immediately looked away. Her chains suddenly felt very heavy as the sores on her wrists began to ache along with her feet and back.

"Do you know anything about the Avatar?" he asked softly.

She looked at him curiously and opened her mouth and made a gesture with her hands.

"Is something wrong? I asked of you knew anything of the Avatar," he repeated.

She looked frustrated for a minute. She pointed to her neck and then made an 'X' with her arms.

"You can't speak can you?" he stated.

She nodded solemnly and looked away, ashamed for her disability.

"Take her to the ship into my room, we'll have to interrogate her there," he replied.

Her eyes widened as the guard tugged at her chains and guided her out.

(:O)

"Stay in there," the guard claimed and pushed her into Zuko's room.

She wondered around. There wasn't anything unusual about the room. There was a bunk bed and desk piled with maps and other knick-knacks. She sat herself onto the floor and made herself as scarce as possible. She stayed there until the door opened again and Zuko entered.

She looked at him warily and covered her chest and shut her eyes close. Zuko stared and then raised and inquiring eyebrow at her action. She slowly opened one eye and then the other and stared at him.

"I'm not going to do that if that's what you're worried about," Zuko replied flatly.

She looked at him and then dropped her arms and looked to her knees.

"Can you write?" he asked.

She nodded lightly.

He took out a sheet of paper and a brush with a bowl of ink.

"Tell me all you know about the Avatar," he directed.

She looked at him and shifted uncomfortably. The she glided the brush onto the paper and turned it around when she was finished with it. Zuko immediately began to read it and then his temper flared. The paper read:

_What is an avatar?_

Smoke bellowed from his ears as he tried his best not to get angry. She smiled and then covered her face. Suddenly, the pain was all too real. She gasped.

"Is something wrong with you?" he asked, his voice only hinting a slight possibility of concern.

She grinned at him lightly, trying to reassure him that there was nothing wrong with her. She slid over and twitched. Zuko's eyes widened. Blood was on the wall and caked all the way the girl slid. She shivered tried to touch the wounds on her back.

"You're bleeding… This is bad we-"

The rest was cut off, and the world went black.

(:O)

She awoke and felt warm cloth around her. It felt good, but strange, in a foreign way. She stood up and looked down and yelped, covering herself again. She peered around nervously, only to find Zuko staring all-knowingly at her.

"You've got some nasty scars," he uttered.

She covered her face, embarrassed. She unveiled it and looked at him and pointed to her bandages.

"That was me," he replied coolly.

She twitched slightly.

"Who else was going to do it?" he stated in an annoyed tone.

Suddenly, she looked at his face and remembered his scar. Daringly, she reached out to it. Her fingers grazed it before Zuko's hands snatched it away from it.

"It's disgusting isn't it?" he muttered, his voice low and angry.

She shook her head and his grip surprisingly loosened. She reached out to it and touched it again. _There's so much anger and hate inside of him… And at the same time… So much pain… I want to heal it…_

Her eyes looked sad as she stroked his cheek and scar. As if she was trying to say she understood.

(End of the Chapter!)

A little OOC neh? Ionno, I'll try harder to make him more eviler… Or should I? You guys can decide on that! I'll try to add more plot and hopefully my character won't turn out to be some Mary Sue! O.o I'll try not to... Oh well, review and send all you want! Until next time my lovely readers!


	2. Chapter 2

_**Dancing On His Flames**_

Chapter 2

"Zuko tonight is music night, why don't you join in as a woodwind?" Iro suggested as he slumped a heavy arm onto his nephew's shoulder.

"No," Zuko replied flatly, as he gave his uncle a withering stare.

"So impassive. It's very unattractive to the women you know," Iro remarked, patting Zuko's shoulder as if to at least seem like he cared.

Zuko pushed off his uncle's arm and grunted. For a moment, Iro didn't seem to register the possibilities of this gesture, and then it clicked.

"Oh, I see how it is. You're into that girl aren't you - the new little catch from the Earth village. The crew was wondering why she's been on for so long," Iro's expression became impish as he grinned broadly.

"What are you talking about?" Zuko asked stoically.

"Well, you two are in the same room, in your personal hallway. It's the ideal way to get some action without anyone noticing. Oh, Zuko boy, already growing up aren't you?" the old man teased and whacked the poor youth on his back, leaving the boy with a stinging sensation.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for music night uncle?" Zuko gritted through his teeth.

"Of course," Iro flashed a toothy grin and went off his way.

Zuko let his gaze steady and stopped for a moment to think about what his uncle had just said, and then continued walking.

"An old geezer like him ought to act his age," Zuko mumbled.

(:O)

The girl sat on windowsill and gazed out onto the sea. Her brown eyes now became a light blue. Her eyes naturally changed colors. The servant ladies always said she was cursed. "_Only a **demon**_ _could have eyes as abnormal as that. It only proves how untrusting she is. They way her eyes change; it's probably how she keeps twisting her thoughts into something dishonest." _

The girl closed her eyes and sighed. She wasn't anything but something to scorn at. A comparison on how much better other people were next to her. But here next to Zuko, she felt as if an entire burden had been lifted from her shoulders. True, he did lack etiquette and was a bit touchy, and also a bit dim in the respecting fields, but he had shown her kindness. He healed her wounds, gave her food that was actually safe to eat, a room, clothes, hygiene, and a presence of concern that she had been missing since her parents had been slaughtered.

"_What is you name?" Zuko asked._

_Xiang… She wrote. _

"_I see," Zuko replied._

Strange, that name seemed ironic to her current situation. To soar was what it meant, or so her mother had told her. It gave her hope, and inspiration to dance. The desire to soar and be free of all troubles… A goal.

The door creaked open; Xiang turned over and met eyes with Zuko. She smiled at him shyly. He closed the door and sat himself onto her bed.

"Tonight is music night," he stated.

She tilted her head. _A party?_

"It's a night where the men on the boat just play music, dance, play around, that kind of stuff. Do you want to go?" he asked her.

Her eyes shone with joy and she nodded anxiously. Zuko's lips stretched slightly.

"Ok. I'll be back later and take you. Be ready by sundown," Zuko informed and left the room.

_Music night… _She thought giddily. She could dance on her own will and play about. A privilege she hadn't been graced with while being enslaved. She opened her drawers. There weren't too many female clothes. After all, the boat was infested with men. But she had three other outfits to change into.

She took out a pink dress robe. It was embroidered with golden, brown flowers and swirls of blues and greens. It was dressy, but gave her more freedom to move about with. The sleeves stopped a little over her hands, but it was still flattering on her figure.

She foraged the dresser until she found a large red cloak. Zuko had told her that the clothes in the dresser were all clothes the men had grown out of, so they were hers to deal with. With a mighty tug, she pulled the cloak into two neat halves. Finding a needle and some string, she began to sew the rags onto the inside of the sleeves of the pink dress robe. When she was done, the sleeves looked ridiculously long. She smiled with satisfactory. Now she would be ready for music night.

(:O)

A knock was heard. Xiang rushed to the door and opened it, only to find herself face to face with no one other then Zuko.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

She nodded enthusiastically. He looked strangely at her sleeves, but decided not to question anything. Women and clothing were never his strongest suits. He gestured for their leave and took her out of the hallway and out onto the deck.

When she arrived out of the dark and quiet tunnel of the hallway, Xiang was greeted by the sounds of loud, cheery music and the boisterous laughter of men. When she stepped aboard, there was a slight pause from the clamor. The men hadn't seen women for a long while, and to see aone on board was somewhat of a surprise. She smiled, which ended the silence and the music began again.

She opened her mouth and held her stomach as she smiled. It was a silent laughter, but it still gave off the same aura of levity. Zuko smiled, she seemed happy, and he couldn't help but feel a light wavering feeling encompassing him. She ran out into the center of the deck and stood for a minute, trying to feel the music and beat go throughout her body. The voices hushed as all eyes turned on her. Every man on the ship had heard of the girl being a personal dancer for the Earth tyrant, they were all anxious as to whether the rumors proved true or not.

The people staring didn't make her nervous. People had always stared with intense scrutiny when she danced. The men's staring wasn't so alien-like to her. She felt the music go through her bones, her muse stirring within herself, to her there were no eyes watching, just simply the essence of her being.

She swayed her arms as her feet and legs gracefully moved in slow steps. Then the music became livelier and almost on instinct she began to move more fiercely. Her long sleeves swayed lightly with her arms, her legs supporting her with every leap, landing, and step. She threw both arms in the air and simultaneously moved them to the side as she leaped. The emotions only began to grow stronger as she put more and more of herself into the dance.Her longsleeves billowed and rippled, resembling water. They surrounded her, and empshasized the beauty of her dance. The music came to its climax and was decelerating to an end as it began to steady.

She moved leisurely and more calmly. Xiang felt the music closing to what sounded like a sorrowful ending. She began to feel sadness flow into her soul as the sadness was expressed in her final movements. As the final notes played she moved a sleeve in front of her face and the other sleeve billowed outwards. She breathed as her mind came back to the real world. The sound of the music was intoxicating to her ears and always turned her mind from reality to the illusions of her momentary joys.

The sounds of applause deafened her for a minute. She felt joy glowing inside of her. She brought her sleeve down, revealing her beaming face filled with pride and benevolence. The men were astounded and soon began roaring for another. Her face filled with happiness and she agreed to another dance.

"How about Zuko plays a solo this time?" a voice suggested.

Heads turned, Iro was grinning broadly. He sat alone, on a bench that had been placed outside.

"If I remember correctly, Zuko was quite gifted with the flute when he learned at the palace. It was as if the ancestors themselves had put their blessings into his playing. Perhaps he would grace us with a tune," Iro suggested.

Zuko stood there frozen for a moment. His face had changed from being awestricken, to stony and almost nostalgic.

"No, I don't feel the need to," Zuko replied taciturnly.

Xiang was quite curious; she remembered she had a flute with her from the Earth King. She took a moment to run to her room and retrieved it from the inner robes of her other clothing. When she returned she handed him the flute, as if she was pleading for him to play. Zuko stared at it for the longest time. He felt himself become absorbed in the carvings that had been meticulously etched to the last detail. The dragon that had been carved seemed to come alive and guide his hands to play the notes on the flute. He finally sighed and took the flute from her hands. She smiled gratefully and guided him to the center near the other instruments.

Standing in the middle of the deck she locked eyes with him, signaling for him to begin. He took a breath and began to play. For a moment she felt overwhelmed and took a minute to admire the melody. His playing was flawless and was pouring with emotions. She felt as if his own soul was lamenting to her, beckoning for her to be enveloped by it.

She moved effortlessly to his accompaniment, her sleeves swaying with her as she began her dance. The beginning was slow and depressing. She felt as if water was moving with her. Her eyes opened, they were blue and she felt water suddenly elevating from her fingertips.

She closed her eyes again and felt the music go through her bones. Suddenly the water from all the cups began to hover into the air and slowly move towards her. It moved with her every step and swirled with her. Zuko didn't seem to notice, his mind was focused on the flute. The men were speechless.

Then he began to play a more airy tune. The water dropped onto the ground, she opened her eyes halfway, revealing them to be gray. She closed them again. A breeze blew from nowhere and blew her sleeves in a more poetic and flowing manner.

His music became more calming, and soothing. Her dance became more solid. She turned to glance at Iro and smiled joyfully, her eyes were green. She closed them again and moved with the music. The wooden benches began to shake, vines grew from them, flowers bloomed and their petals were carried by the wind. They surrounded her, and the scent intoxicated the noses of the men who were amazed and confused.

Zuko's playing became more angry and demanding. The flowers stopped growing. She moved vigorously and leaped higher, moved more quickly and began to spin harder. She opened her eyes to entice her audience revealing the golden orbs. She closed her eyes and the petals in the wind burst into flames. They began to spin around her, creating a spiral of fire surrounding her.

Zuko suddenly stopped playing. He could sense the fire and smell the ashes of the burning leaves. Xiang jolted to a stop. The spiral of fire died away quickly. Zuko looked around, observing what had happened. There were flowers growing on the benches, puddles of water on the ground and the ashes of the petals in a pile surrounding her. Xiang looked at Zuko, her eyes were brown. He looked at her questioningly.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded.

There was a silence. The crewmen themselves couldn't find any way to explain the recent phenomenon that had just been played before their eyes. Iro stood and began boldly:

"It seems that Xiang has been keeping secrets."

Everyone was staring at her. She felt her heart rise to her throat as she was panting. She didn't really know herself. It was as if she was sailing on his song and just felt her spirit soaring. The flowers blooming gradually, the air dancing around her, the fire spiraling in all its magnificence, and the water moving smoothly and elegantly in its sways of harmonization, there was just no way to explain it. It had all just simply happened.

Zuko stared at her intensely and finally found the words to say:

"What are you?"

She looked troubled. How in the world was she going to explain on what had just happened? She opened her mouth and then closed it. Her eyes shifted away from his face, she felt scared. Frightened, cornered like a mouse that had been caught by the cat. Suddenly she felt a hand roughly grab her arm and she was dragged into the hallway. She was thrown onto the bed. The rest came as a blur.

Zuko closed the door and locked it. Then he walked towards Xiang so that he was only a foot's length away from her.

"What just happened?" he asked her, he opened his fist, revealing a crushed flower that had been growing on one of the benches.

A single petal floated to the ground in defeat. It was still glorious as it fought the air currents to reach the ground. She felt the momentary relief and then the fear crawl back into her skin as she looked back up at Zuko.

For a moment she looked at him in silence, and then he remembered. She couldn't speak. He grew frustrated and eyed a piece of paper and the bowl of ink and a brush on the table. He passed her the bowl roughly; it was as if he was trying not to break the bowl itself as he handed it to her.

She stared at the paper, trying to think of some way to explain. Nothing came. There truly was no explanation. It was as if she felt something overwhelm her, something that grew and extended from her fingertips. She tried to think of some reason, some possible way to put the extraordinary happening into words.

Her gaze grew more intense and she felt Zuko eyeing her, making her feel nerve wracked with panic. Finally she glided the brush onto the paper. Zuko read it:

_It just happened. I don't know why or how, but I just felt something and it happened._

He reread it and finally looked at her and said:

"Are you the avatar?"

She looked at him frustratingly and once again began to write another message.

_I told you, I don't know. I'm not even sure of what an avatar is. All I know is that I felt something and then it all just happened._

He couldn't help but feel skeptical. There was no other explanation other then her being the avatar. But then would that mean that he had been seeking the wrong person? This entire time he had been tediously tracking and hunting down the wrong person this whole time? He eyed her warily and finally decided something. He took the wooden end of his other ink brush and put it in front of her face.

"Make it grow, make plants grow from it, do something to make it different," Zuko commanded.

She stared thoroughly, her eyes focusing on only the brush. She began to stare with such immense concentration that she began to tremble.

"Stop." Zuko stated.

She immediately stopped and began to pant. A drop of sweat came down from her forehead.

"Calm down. Don't force it, just let it flow into you," he guided her hand onto the brush.

She did what he said. She closed her eyes and took a breath, then opened her eyes. She didn't try to stare it this time; she just relaxed, searching within herself, yearning to conjure a force that she had no idea of where it originated.

Finally a leaf sprouted from the tip of the brush. It grew, and grew, and grew, till it bloomed into a flower. She stopped and panted; it seemed more of a struggle this time. She felt her self depleted of any energy, all from a simple task.

Zuko examined her. Analyzed the amount of struggling it took her to do an easy thing.

"Now make it burn," he said.

She caught her breath; she would not let herself get tired so easily. She began to stubbornly pull herself up and stared again. She went inside of herself, calling forward a spark of energy, a force that had no information of its origination. Finally a small flame burned boldly from the plant. It withered into ash and the flame died away instantly.

Once again she was tired. She threw her body onto the bed, panting hard. Strange, it was so effortless before when she was dancing, why was it so hard now?

Zuko watched her ribs and stomach go up and down, up and down. He observed the amount of strength and focus it took her and watched her brow sweat profusely. He stood up and opened the door, ready to leave.

"Get some rest. You've answered enough for me just now."

He left.

She felt somewhat relieved. Too tired to even slip under the cover, Xiang closed her eyes and fell asleep.

(End Chapter)

OMFG… I'm so sorry guys, a lot of stuff has been happening and my muse died. It's been like months…? Jeez hope you guys can forgive me… I am at your mercy… bows to loyal readers Teehee, well hopefully you enjoyed this one. The third chapter? I don't know, I'm constantly changing the plot, so when that's finally established, well that's when I'll update and write in a mad frenzy. I really am sorry for not updating! But a lot of stuff between friends, getting a forbidden boyfriend (yeah complicated sutff), defying my religion, and stuff with my family, it's held me back and given me a lot to stress about. But let's worry about the story, and don't worry about me. I'll get those chapters up when I can… I am so grateful for you patience! Indeed I am worthless.


	3. Chapter 3

**Dancing On His Flames**

**New Life**

_**Chapter 3**_

Xiang took her usual position on the windowsill. Thinking about what had happened that night made her uneasy. The one time she actually seemed to have been able to make friends, she had turned away with something even she was unsure of.

Bringing her knees to her chest, she put her head down and sighed. She watched the water float endlessly, unable to stop or go anywhere but where the tide was going. Being carried by the currents of fate that swallowed her without warning was all that seemed happened in her life. Nostalgia overwhelmed her as she could feel herself suddenly full of sadness. Having no control, only being forced by the decisions of others of how her life would be, to not have a voice.

That was the most frustrating thing of all.

An entire week had passed, yet no one could explain what had happened that night. How one girl could possibly control all of those elements yet not be the avatar was absolutely mind boggling to every man on the ship. This frustrated the young prince who was now greatly confused and growing impatient with the lack of answers.

Prince Zuko paced back and forth in his office. He hadn't set foot back into his room where Xiang was and had forbidden every man on the ship away from that corridor. She had no answers. No one did.

How?

Why?

That was all that pulsed through his mind with every minute of the day. He sat himself in his chair and held his head in his hands. Breathing deeply, he sat there, contemplating, when a sudden idea came to him.

His eyes widened as his fist pounded the table. It made perfect sense, but he had to be sure.

"Zuko, I think considering the weather, and that enormous migraine you have, it would be the perfect time for some t-" Iro began.

Zuko pushed him aside as he jolted out the door. The tray Iro was holding nearly fell from his grasp as he quickly jerked forward and caught almost everything except the tea pot. It almost seemed to be happening in slow motion. The cups were almost going to hit the floor. Shoving his tray forward, he managed to save the jade cups. However the tea pot was far out of reach and met the floor with a shattering noise as tea spilled all across the doorway. He tossed the rest of the tray to the floor in fury. While pulling at his hair and falling to his knees, he succumbed to grief and roared,

"MY TEA!"

The door slammed open. Xiang turned alarmed, eyes wide with shock and almost fear. Zuko was standing there panting. She arched a delicate eyebrow and quickly went to meet him.

Zuko looked up and met with her large, now cerulean eyes that stared at him with concern and apprehension. Feeling suddenly flustered, she looked downwards and turned her face away from him, her hands fumbling with her robe. He grabbed her wrist and slammed the door as he led her to his desk where he had last interrogated her.

Astonished by his sudden action, she was momentarily stunned until he spoke to her with great demand.

"Who are your parents?"

It was a simple question, but Xiang paled and was immediately nauseated. Unwanted memories she had pushed away came back to her. Her hands formed into tight fists and shook from all the vigor in her grip.

Noticing the sudden tension from his query, Zuko took her hand into his. He turned her hands over to her palm and saw her fingernail marks had impaled her skin. Blood seeped through the open cuts. Looking up into her pain stricken face, he probed once more.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

She removed her hands from his weakly picked up the brush from the ink bowl. The brush glided across the paper fluidly, but even the simple motion of stroking the paper could not hide her misery.

_It is a long tale. My past is not very pleasant as my days of bliss were numbered from the day that my parents met each other. Do you still want to know?_

His eyes scanned through her message briefly as he nodded. She closed her eyes momentarily and continued to write. He patiently waited for her to finish.

_My father was a soldier for the water tribe. His mother was raped by a fire nation soldier and impregnated her with him. She died giving birth to him__ and he was raised with contempt by __the rest of the village. They had only spared him because of his mother's dying wish of him being __able to live like a normal child__. He grew up with the idea that he had to prove himself tha__t he was just like everyone else, s__o he joined the army and fought against the fire nation. He fought bravely and was known to take down many. Yet the village could not help but to see him as the man of the traitor's side. _

_He was captured one day by the fire nation in a battle. My father was eventually freed and taken in by an earth tribe militia. A woman nursed him back to health. When he discovered that she was like him, half earth and half air, he could not hold back his feelings for her. _

_They eventually wedded, against the wishes of everyone and left the village in order to get away from the constant scorn. I was eventually born in that small wooden hut my father had made with his bare hands. From the day I was born, I was surrounded by the love and warmth of my parents. Truly, I was happy. _

_Most children try to speak after they are a few months old. I sang. I had a voice that was truly unique and was something my parents heralded as a gift from the heavens. My songs brought them joy, and it was a passion that I truly adored. _

_It was when I was five when it happened..._

_The door suddenly burst open. Xiang craned her neck to see who the visitor was. It was a man. His face was contorted with anger as he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Xiang's father. _

_"Come out here Chang! I have a retribution that must be carried out!" he cried. _

_Xiang's mother came and held Xiang in her arms. _

_"Who are you?" Xiang's father asked, eyes filled with trepidation__, t__hey flickered slightly to his wife who saw and understood what she was to do. _

_"Your father killed my entire family! I will only give back what is deserved, so prepare to die!" He shouted and charged with his blade. _

_A shriek escaped from Xiang's mouth as her mother tucked her face into her chest and fled. Screams could be heard from within the house along with many noises of objects breaking. _

_"Be silent my love, we must escape quietly or else it will be the end of both of us," she murmured into Xiang's ears. _

_She whimpered and pressed herself more tightly against her mother. More footsteps could be heard from behind him. The man had caught up to them. Her mother placed her down and took a stance. _

_"Run Xiang! Run and go away as far as you can! Don't look back!" she cried as she shoved her daughter forward. _

_"No mother!" Xiang cried, but it was deafened by the sounds of the fight. _

_Her mother moved, beckoning for the rocks in the ground to defend her. But her half blood could only do so much as the man came forward. His blade pierced her. A soft startled noise escaped from her mother's mouth as she crumpled to the ground._

_"One more to go…" he muttered and turned to Xiang. _

_Taking the blade from her mother's chest, he came to Xiang, eyes filled with bloodlust. He raised his blade, ready to strike. Xiang screamed, waiting for the blow that she knew she cou__ld not escape and then felt blood__ splatter on her. _

_She looked up and realized it was not hers. A rock had somehow stabbed him through the chest and killed him. She watched the man's breathing slow and grasp at his wound._

_"You will __**never**__kill__ my daughter," her mother's voice croaked. _

_Her hand lay ou__t with her index finger pointed__, the same finger that had led the rock to its target and killed. Xiang's mother struggled for her last breath and then was no more. _

_Xiang ran to her mother, but a hand gripped her ankle and caused her to fall. She looked down and saw the man gripping her ankle, but his blade was away from his grasp. _

_"You may have escaped death, but you will face something even worse. The spirits of my family and I will haunt your forever. We will curse you to redeem for the murderers' blood that runs through your veins. You are to be a slave__ to agony, __your life__ will__ be carried into nothing but eternal misery and anguish. Your voice will be gone, along with the rest of your free life…" he wheezed. _

_His eyes were still open, but they were dead, like him. _

_Xiang panted. Her eyes wide with fear as her mind tried to decipher everything that had happened. __Suddenly her throat burned. Screams were everywhere wailing into her ears. Xiang kicked her legs and grasped her neck, and it burned hurt so badly. She cried out in all of her pain. It would be the last noise she would ever make again. _

_Xiang awoke to a foreign room. She jerked up looking around. There were no bodies, she was in a room on a bed. _

_"You're finally awake huh you lazy bum?" __said the withered voice of an old woman_

_Xiang turned and saw an elderly woman sitting in a chair beside her. She opened her mouth to ask where she was but no sound came out. Her eyes widened in shock as a sickening voice ran through her mind__**Your voice will be gone, along with the rest of your free life…**__ Tears stung her eyes at her realization. She was doomed to a life of wretchedness_

_The woman took care of me. She was the one that taught me dance, I was her novice and became a prodigy dancer in the village. The earth king saw me perform at a festival at my village. He stole me away and for the past 6 years I have danced only for him and suffered at his hands. That is until you came. Now I am to be whatever you want. I am a slave in your very hands. _

She dropped the brush into the ink bowl and pushed the paper towards him. Zuko read the pages, his heart feeling heavy with every misfortune she had experienced. Finally finished he moved the paper aside.

"Xiang?" he called out.

She refused to look at him. Her heart ached, she'd rather just die then have to go through what she was cursed to. If death meant the freedom of her bondages to tragedy, then she would full heartedly embrace it.

"I'm not interested in slavery or making people serve me," he stated.

She looked up at him. He wasn't looking at her, but it was serious and pensive. His left knee was placed up against his chest and his elbow rested on it.

"So long as you are with me, it's not going to be like that. Do you want to stay?" he asked.

His face was facing her now, his eyes were bore into her own as they searched and called out for an answer. She felt something inside of her yearning for a different life. To a chance to be free. Her entire being ached to accept his offer. But could she really escape?

Her head faced downwards and her shoulders rolled forward as she placed her hands onto her thighs. Zuko turned towards her, waiting for a response.

"What do you want to do?" he pressed for an answer.

She did not reply, but just continued to look downwards.

Sighing, he stood up and was about to leave and said, "I'm going now then. Answer me later if you want jus-"

She grabbed his hand before he finished. He turned towards her and realized that her face was wet with tears. Her eyes were pleading for him to stay, to let her stay, to free her and protect her from her damned life.

He kneeled down to her level and stayed there for a moment confused, he had no idea what to do when a girl cried. Wasn't the girl at this point supposed to just fall into his arms or something? Or was that too similar to what lecherous Iro would do?

But before he could figure out what was the proper move, Xiang let go of his hand and covered her face with her long sleeve, embarrassed and startled by her own sudden actions.

"Um, I'll take that as a yes. Just…stay here. I'll let the boys know not to mess with you, so you can start looking around later on when it's ok. Are you hungry?" he desperately tried to change the subject to alleviate the tension on the air.

She nodded. He guided her out of his bedroom and into the dining room. While following behind him, she couldn't help but to feel a sense of volatility. It was as if her life had taken a sudden turn unknowingly to a better place. Sighing in relief, she only hoped that this feeling and relief would last.

(End Chapter)

Hm, so now after changing the plot countless of times, I think I can actually start to update. Sorry to keep you guys waiting. It's hard to get your muse to pull off a Jesus when it just wants to stay dead. --' Hopefully the next one won't take a century and gosh, I know Zuko seemed OOC. But I don't want him to turn out like he did in the show. That really pissed me off. D: So he's going to be slightly different in this. I hope he stays Zuko. Because the one in my head is like macho cool. Sorry to keep you waiting and I'm sorry for any grammar mistakes. I didn't want to keep you guys waiting so I vented it and got it out.


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